Italy's Five Star Movement splits over municipal budget votes

In the central Italian city of Macerata, the local branch of the Five Star Movement criticised the municipal administration after the council approved a budget amendment. The party accused the mayor and assessors of shirking political responsibility, pointing to a €520,000 rise in utility costs, a €25 million cash advance, over €33 million in unrecovered credits and a collection rate below 40%.

In Rome, the Five Star council group supported new budget measures and the creation of a special agency, RomaSport, while former mayor Virginia Raggi voted against the proposals and denounced the current mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, as exercising “absolute power”. The two episodes highlight an escalating internal split within the Five Star Movement over local governance and budget decisions.